September Bird Bulletin
Courtesy of Kate Neall, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Gambrills
• Fall Migration has begun! September is an important migration month – you can expect to see lots of changes this time of year! Fall migration peaks for warblers and many others this month. Keep an eye on your feeders, you may catch some new visitors stopping by for a bite!
• Keep those hummingbird feeders full! Keep your Hummingbird feeders up! Most hummingbirds will start departing by the end of the month, but the mothers and new babies are usually the last to leave. Keep your hummingbird feeders fresh and available until early October or until there is at least 2 weeks of no activity at your feeder. They have a long journey ahead of them and will need to fuel up!
Blackbird Invasion! Blackbird flocks can number in the thousands this time of year, which can make you feel like you’re in an Alfred Hitchcock film. Don’t worry though- it’s temporary as they are gathering to prepare for Fall migration. Flocks mostly contain Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and European Starlings. They can hit feeders hard, so consider serving Safflower (which is difficult for them to eat) to deter them from taking over your feeders. As a bonus, Cardinals love Safflower, so they will be pleased.
